This invention relates to video systems and methods of operating such systems, and more particularly, to video systems employing multiple cameras to produce images of a moving object of interest from different spatial perspectives.
In the televised broadcast of live events, it is frequently desirable to replay portions of the events for further analysis and/or viewer enjoyment. The familiar instant replay feature used in televised sporting events has been used to review sports plays. By replaying video taken by cameras at different locations, it is occasionally possible to obtain a better view of the event than was provided by the original broadcast.
Multiple camera imaging has been the subject of several issued patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,471 and 5,745,126 disclose a multiple camera television system in which an object of interest can be viewed from multiple spatial perspectives using cameras that provide different views of a scene.
However, such multiple camera television systems have typically utilized fixed position cameras. In the telecast of live events, objects of interest in the scene move and it is desirable to be able to move the camera to follow movements of particular objects. When replaying video clips of events such as sporting events it is further desirable to be able to view the events from multiple spatial perspectives. The present invention provides a camera system and method of operation of the camera system that uses multiple cameras to produce video images from multiple spatial perspectives, and permits the replay of those images to view an event from the different spatial perspectives.